Police awarded for bravery

The Prime Minister has paid tribute to the dedication of police in keeping the public safe, during a reception to mark the annual Police Bravery Awards.

Four police officers were voted the bravest officers in England and Wales.

Metropolitan Police officers PS Stephen Hayter, PC Barry Leban, PC Richard Cousins and PC Michael Carroll won the award after a regular stop and search turned into a brutal gun attack in North London.

Gordon and Sarah Brown and Home Secretary Alan Johnson hosted a reception in the Downing Street garden for 60 officers and their partners.

The Prime Minister said the public value everything “our brave officers have done”.

“”It is a privilege to welcome you here. This is our chance to thank you for all you do for the security of the British public.”

Police Federation Chairman for England and Wales Paul McKeever said the officers are all deserving winners.

“We are extremely proud of their dedication to protecting us all from harm and threat. Thanks to these officers and their colleagues up and down the country, we can all feel safer on the streets and in our homes.”

Greens condemn revelations about alleged News Group phone hacking

The Green Party has strongly criticised inaction by Boris Johnson over revelations of hacking into mobile phones of public figures by the News of the World and other newspapers.

Jenny Jones, the Green Party's home affairs spokesperson and a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, said: "The right to privacy has been widely eroded in recent years, but it is a serious right that must be respected by everyone. If it is ever breached, there should be a clear and strong justification. A list of 1,000 individuals being hacked by private investigators looks like systematic trawling for gossip for which there is no higher journalistic justification."

Jenny Jones also criticised Boris Johnson's inaction on the issue: "It's like he's a rabbit in the headlights. Even if he is involved [as one of the public figures whose phone was hacked] it would be appropriate to invite the commissioner and to say why he did not pass it on. In some ways he has to defend the commissioner and the police service if there is going to be criticism, so he needs to know."

Jones added: "The disturbing thing is if there was proof that phones had been hacked why did [the police] not get in touch with people themselves? That is the worrying aspect. The Met should have informed the victims of these hacking operations, especially the political ones, so that they could change their phone numbers."